Evolution
by NewHampshireGirl
Summary: It wasn't just bread. It was allowing himself to love, to be loved. Tag to "The Artful Dodger". Tony/Zoe


**Disclaimers:** I do not own NCIS or its characters. Just borrowing for non-profit.

**Warnings:** Spoilers for "The Artful Dodger", Tony/Zoe

**A/N:** I'm working on the next chapter for "Tiny Additions" but I wanted to give Tony/Zoe some love:)

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**Evolution**

Bread is forward movement.

Anthony DiNozzo for once had to agree with something that his father had said. Making bread with Zoe _was _forward movement. Typically, he shied away from those little romantic things… hid from them… because doing romantic things meant committing and since Jeanne he had a terrible time committing to anything. Wasn't Tim right? Last year, when he'd been looking for a new car… how he needed to commit to it before buying… like women… he never really committed to a woman in the time that the little probie had known him.

Stretching, Tony decided that committing wasn't so bad. He'd actually enjoyed himself baking, learned a few things from Zoe while they'd prepared their dough. It had been years since he'd cooked for a woman let alone with one.

Zoe was different. She wasn't just some woman he'd met randomly at a bar or on the job. She was a friend long before they decided to try their hand at something more. He had been attracted to her when they first met in Philly, but she'd been dating some lawyer and he stuck to a strict code to never mess with another man's woman. She had never known how he felt but she had been devastated when he just disappeared on her. Even blaming herself that he had fled Philly.

Tony never wanted her to believe that but his silence afterwards was pretty crappy of him. He promised to be better this time. To open up to her, which was difficult for him. He struggled opening up to people, afraid of looking vulnerable. But opening up had led them here… it wasn't obvious at first… they had just agreed to reconnect, reactivate their friendship… but suddenly, one night after meeting for pizza, he had dropped her off at home and kissed her. The rest, as Abby would say, was history.

It would have been disaster if they had acted on their attraction all those years ago in Philly. They were not the same people now. Both of them had changed and, well, they rather liked the changes they saw. He felt comfortable around her. She made him smile. She made him happy. Really, that was all people wanted, to be happy, to smile… okay and maybe have lots and lots of money… but two out of three wasn't bad.

She shifted in his arms, her cheek nuzzled his chest and she sighed in her sleep. Zoe wasn't the first woman to stay the night… but she was the first one that he didn't feel the need to rush out of his bed come morning. Even when he'd been with EJ it was important to get her out as fast as possible because he never knew when Gibbs was going to show up and he was terrified of being found out to be breaking Rule 12.

Tony brushed his lips across Zoe's hairline. The plan had been to make the bread at her apartment but her oven had broken Saturday morning. He didn't want plans to change again.

He made her dinner, wine, the works… romantic music… and she taught him how to bake bread. He was surprised how domesticated this woman made him and that he wasn't afraid of it.

Bread is forward movement.

Zoe felt the feathery touch of his lips and opened her chocolate eye to gaze at him. "Hi Spider."

Tony smiled. "Hey. Sleep well?"

"When I did get to sleep… yes," she teased, grinning.

"You didn't think you were just coming over here to bake bread, did you?" Tony teased back.

Zoe laughed, softly and shook her head. "God, I hoped not, Tony."

Tony lowered his mouth to hers, pulling her naked body closer to him and just relishing the feel of her against him. "You know… it's Sunday…"

"Yes. Sunday. We could stay in bed all day if we wanted."

"Hmm, yeah. How about some French toast with that bread we made… and then we spend all day in bed?"

Zoe smiled at him, a twinkle in her eyes. "Spider? Are you offering to make me breakfast?"

Tony grinned, boyishly. "Why, yes, baby, I am."

"If I had known that baking bread with you would lead to breakfast the following morning… I'd have done it sooner," she said, sliding out of bed. She found one of his old tee shirts and slipped it on. She shook her head out and turned towards him. "What do I have to do to get you to buy a bigger bed?"

"Oh, well," he started, chuckling, "go shopping with me?"

Zoe looked at him, puzzled for a moment, like she wasn't expecting that answer. "Sure. I can go shopping with you. That's kind of a big step, Tony… buying furniture together. This is the first time I've slept over at her your apartment."

Tony looked at her seriously. "It's all a part of the evolution."

"Evolution?"

"Mine, Zoe."

Zoe climbed onto the tiny bed with him, tucking her legs underneath her. "Tony, last week you were nervous about letting me into your apartment. Now you want to buy a new bed with me… what's going on?"

Tony chuckled again. "I like this new me. I like being in a committed relationship… we have something here, Zoe, something good and real and I want to do everything I can to keep it. Don't you?"

Her eyes told him everything and she leaned forward, dipping her head to his in a deep, loving kiss. Tony wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back underneath the covers with him, realizing that French toast could wait… the bread wasn't going anywhere. He wanted to capitalize one every moment with this woman, how alive she made him feel again. He had been running around in circles when Zoe came back into his life. McGee, Abby… even Ellie seemed to noticed how lost he was. Zoe had changed that. She had given him what was lacking in his life. Companionship. Love. Commitment.

Zoe had been looking for the same. They both needed each other at the same time, finally. Everything else, just fell into place. Tony made her feel like more than a pretty face and she made him feel not so alone anymore.

Bread wasn't just forward movement, it was evolution.


End file.
